English Lessons
by milkjin
Summary: One day I find myself as an English teacher for the Kpop idol group, Apink. Chorong, the leader of the group, has some serious challenges to learn proper pronunciation. Will I be able to help her without falling for her?


I step into the room and it's already a mess. A strange creature races across the classroom – none other than Bomi doing her orangutan walk. Hayoung is in tears bursting into laughter slapping the desk. Eunji is singing on top of her lungs with her earphones on, while Namjoo sticks her lips out posing with her selfy stick. Naeun is either dead or sleeping and Chorong… Rongie is trying to memorize her vocabs with both of her hands blocking her ears. She notices me and yells out, "Yah!" Namjoo turns abruptly towards me and her selfy stick scrapes my nose as I barely avoid it like Jacky Chan. "Omo!" "I'm sorry teacher." I keep my cool. "Be careful with that."

I put my book on the table. "OK guys, let's get started. So how's everyone doing?" "Sleeeepy." they are like 5th graders but only cuter – I have to admit, I don't like teaching but I love this job.

"Alright, so let's go over your tests." As I take out a pile of papers, a big sigh slips out from the corner.

I cheerfully yell out, "Bomi?" I put the marked paper face-down in front of her; she glances at it and rolls her eyes. "Don't worry you'll do better next time." "Hayoung." " _Ne!_ " She stretches out both hands. "Good job," I try to sound indifferent as I avoid looking directly into her eyes but I just cannot escape from her lovely smile. _Dangerous_.Her natural talent in learning new languages makes her even more charming.

Namjoo sticks her face into Hayoung's paper, "So what did you get? Oh, wow!" I walk over to Naeun, "Good job as usual." "Thank you." "Eunji?" She smiles with one earphone in her ear. "You improved a lot Eunji." "Ha, ha, ha!" Eunji bursts into a victorious laughter which she makes sure Bomi hears it. Bomi. "Aigoo..."

Finally Chorong. "Not bad, Chorong. Keep up the good work, OK?" She glances at the score and looks disappointed. "Hey, why the sad look?" "Bu, but…" she pouts her lips, looking like a sad puppy. _Oh my dear heart_.

"OK, let's practice pronunciation today." Namjoo and Hayoung clap, "Yes!" while the rest is quiet. I dangle a doughnuts box in my hand, "Winners get treats as usual." Chorong's eyes widen and Naeun, Bomi and Eunji clinch their fists.

I pull out the first flash card, "pen." "Pen!" The girls' voices are loud and clear. "OK how about this," I look at Chorong and Eunji as I take out the next card, "Fan. For example, Apink has a lot of fans. Fans." The girls repeat slowly, "Apink has a lot of…ppfans!" I point to Naeun. "Fans" "Next, Hayoung?" "I love our fans!" "Very goooood." She loves being complemented; I'd complement her breath if I had to. I give them one minis (doughnuts) each to Naeun and Hayoung as they dance sitting in their chairs.

"Next Bomi." "Apink has a lot of ppffans!" Namjoo bursts into laughter. "Chorong, give it a shot?" "Oouu, um, Apink has a lot of…ffppen! Aaaah!" Bomi, Eunji and Namjoo are falling from their chairs from laughing. Chorong shoots a sharp look at Bomi. "Yah." Bomi "Ou, scaryyy."

"Take your time, it's alright." I smile gently. "Pen!" "One more?" "Pen!" Chorong pouts like a puppy. I smile at her, "Now look at my lips. Put your front teeth on your lip. F, F, F, Fan!" I exaggerate the sound. Her eyebrows - exposed from clipped up bangs – show signs of strain as she concentrates. "F, F, F…Fan!" "Good job!" Her eyebrows relax and she radiates a smile of a five year old with twinkling eyes. Those eyes…no wonder she was named 'Chorong'.

I take out the last flash card. "OK so this is the name of a super hero. His name is, Thor!" Everybody looks at me like I'm talking alien. "Stick out your tongue little." Everybody "Tor!" I point at Hayoung and point to the card, "Thor!" Hayoung's face says 'I can do this.' "Thhorr!" "Yes! Good job." She claps like a happy seal, "Ha! Ha! Ha!" "Chorong, wanna try?" "T, t, tooorr!" Laughter follows as she blushes and buries her face on her desk, "Aiiii!" 

After School

I hear a small knock on the door as I sit in the empty classroom writing. It's Chorong. "Teeacheeer." She looks deflated. "Hey, come on in." "Please teach me," she sits on a chair pouting. "Come sit closer, so you can watch my mouth." She sticks out her face right in front of her mine as she looks at my lips. I can feel her breath and the sweet smell right on my face. _OK, just look away, don't look at her eyes_. My instinct wants to admire her soft skin. _Keep it together man_. "You stick out your tongue like this, 'th—'"Chorong looks like a big baby sticking out her tongue.

I try to hide my smile. "What, teacher? What?" "Um, nothing, you're doing it right." She tries again, "Th-." "Yes, that's right, now put an 'or' sound." "Th-oo?" "Almost!" Her eyes light up "Thoooo, Thoooo!" "'R' at the end, like Thor." "Tho! So!, Thor!" "You got it!" Her face lightens up like a Christmas tree. She brings her face closer "Thor!" That moment, I feel wet some spray on my face. "Omo!" She stumbles to pull out a handkerchief. "So, sorry Teacher!" "It's OK, it's fine don't worry." Here is Chorong wiping my face with her own handkerchief while her other hand is holding my chin. _It's NOT OK, God, help me_.

"(cough, cough) Uh, teacher?" I turn and it's Bomi! My god, how long was she standing there? "Oh, yes, yes, come in." I quickly pull away from Chorong, wiping my face with my hand. I can feel my face flushing. "Is it OK? I have question," she holds her test paper. "See you teacher." Chorong is already walking out the door, "OK, see you. Have fun." I gather myself to face Bomi who seems to hide a smile. As she is about to talk, BOOM! I turn to see Chorong on her hands and knees. She had tripped at the door. "You OK?" Before I can get up, she jumps up waving her hands without turning this way. Bomi is dying to repress her smile. "So, what's your question?" 

Next Day

I have my flash cards in class. "Namjoo?" "Thor!" "Awesome." Namjoo makes a 'V' sign just like in her selfy. "Bomi." "Thor!" "Good." I see Hayoung eagerly waiting so I pretend to skip to Eunji. "Teacher!" "Ooops, sorry." She makes a sad face of a little girl. Oh, Hayoung… she knows what she's doing. "Thor!" "Yes, awesome." She does her seal clap again.

Finally, Rongie. I can see her eye brow muscles straining as she concentrates her effort. Her fists are clinched and about to snap. "THOR!" Bomi, Namjoo and Eunji have their mouth open like a black hole. I give her a huge smile, "YES, I love it!" "AWESOME! Kya ha ha ha!" she dances on her seat.

The whole class bursts into laughter. I catch Chorong's eyes and for a split second ours eyes meet before as she continues her dance. Bomi nudges Chorong from the side and gives her a look. I try to hide my smile as I put away the cards.


End file.
